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03 6 pieces of design by B&B Italia not to be missed

6 pieces of design by B&B Italia not to be missed

Design

Founded in 1966, B&B Italia creates pieces for the interior while developing its research in materials destined for exterior design, these are Numéro favourites…

B&B Italia design 2018, “Caratos”, chairs, armchairs, ottomans and coffee tables in moulded aluminium, with a graphite or amber varnish B&B Italia design 2018, “Caratos”, chairs, armchairs, ottomans and coffee tables in moulded aluminium, with a graphite or amber varnish
B&B Italia design 2018, “Caratos”, chairs, armchairs, ottomans and coffee tables in moulded aluminium, with a graphite or amber varnish

Founded in 1966 by Piero Ambrogio Busnelli, the B&B Italia house of design diffuses a pure “made in Italy” savoir-faire that combines technological innovation with contemporary artistic creation. A creed that’s resulted in being them awarded the Compasso d’Oro prize – for the fourth time –, one of the most important international design prizes.

 

Understated and refined design has become the trademark of B&B Italia, established north of Milan on a site conceived by Italian and British architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers in 1972 – the brains behind the Pompidou Centre no less. Offering interior pieces while developing research in materials for exterior designs, the house has released an eclectic catalogue from which Numéro now shares its favourites...

B&B italia design 2018, “Eda-mame” B&B italia design 2018, “Eda-mame”
B&B italia design 2018, “Eda-mame”

It’s as if it’s a surface, a model by Mobius.” That’s how designer Piero Lissoni characterises his work Eda-Mame, a versatile piece of furniture in the shape of a bean that’s more than able to define an entire room by itself.

B&B Italia design 2018, “Alanda”, a structure in polished black steel and extra-light or smoky glass. B&B Italia design 2018, “Alanda”, a structure in polished black steel and extra-light or smoky glass.
B&B Italia design 2018, “Alanda”, a structure in polished black steel and extra-light or smoky glass.

Stylistic innovation is key at B&B Italia and they enjoy miniaturising architectural concepts, like the Alanda coffee table created by Paolo Piva, the Austrian-Italian architect whose 1980s piece that resembles a group of inversed pyramids was re-issued this year.

B&B Italia design 2018, “Colosseo”, a stool in polished rigid polyurethane available in sixteen bright colours  B&B Italia design 2018, “Colosseo”, a stool in polished rigid polyurethane available in sixteen bright colours
B&B Italia design 2018, “Colosseo”, a stool in polished rigid polyurethane available in sixteen bright colours
B&B Italia design 2018, “topi-ishi”, coffee table in grey cement or anthracite. B&B Italia design 2018, “topi-ishi”, coffee table in grey cement or anthracite.
B&B Italia design 2018, “topi-ishi”, coffee table in grey cement or anthracite.

 

B&B Italia present the Tobi-Ishi table by Barber & Osgerby, in a direct reference to the polished stones used to embellish traditional Japanese gardens. This piece also comes as a low version in cement, an alternative that highlights its sculptural and matterist aspect.

 

But if B&B Italia really focus on one issue, it’s that of space. The house looks above all to creating spaces where the surface area doesn’t need to be reduced, which is why the shapes and curves are all so carefully studied. The chairs, armchairs and ottomans by Antonio Citterio have a more enveloping form, continuing the Caratos series all while referring to historically artisanal techniques: “Caratos is an absolutely contemporary product that brings out the memory of certain 20th century objects”, explains the designer, “they recall bronze, thanks to the “full” matte finish, that absorbs the light, and the high quality nature of the upholstery leather harks back to the idea of saddlery.

B&B Italia design 2018, “Jack”, modular book case system in aluminium. B&B Italia design 2018, “Jack”, modular book case system in aluminium.
B&B Italia design 2018, “Jack”, modular book case system in aluminium.